The sentencing of Nancy Crampton Brophy, the author of "How to Murder Your Husband" who was actually convicted of doing just that, was a bit of a formality Monday morning.
At 71, even the minimum sentence for second-degree murder—25 years in prison—likely meant the same fate for Crampton Brophy as the maximum sentence of a lifetime behind bars.
Judge Christopher A. Ramras ultimately issued a life sentence for Crampton Brophy, but that wasn’t the highlight of Monday’s sentencing. Instead, it was the family members of the slain Dan Brophy, a chef and instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute, who scorched their loved one’s killer in a series of statements.
“Whatever time you spend in prison is nothing compared to an eternity in hell,” said Bill Brophy, the brother of Dan.
Other family members shared similar sentiments. Dan Brophy’s son, Nathaniel Stillwater, called his father’s killer “cold-blooded” and vowed that her youngest grandchildren will never know her name.
“My father possessed more knowledge, depth, accomplishments, recognition and joy in life than a person as shallow and self-serving as yourself is capable of,” said Stillwater.
He continued: “You executed my father in an act of cold-blooded, premeditated murder. A man that did everything for you—cooked your meals, washed your clothes, accepted your sedentary nature, supported your failed endeavors, and brought you into the warm embrace of our family.”
Dan Brophy’s mother, Karen Brophy, wrote in a statement read aloud that she was shocked when officers said they arrested her daughter-in-law, a loved member of the family for over 25 years.
“Was that relationship all deception?” She asked. “We will never understand how you could decide it was an advantage for you to take the life of our son, that he did not deserve to live. So you took his life from all of us, a pawn in your plan.
“I don’t know what the rest of your life will be like. Not pleasant, I am sure.”
The trial for Crampton Brophy lasted about 7 weeks and concluded on May 25 with a guilty verdict. She claimed the prosecution only had circumstantial evidence to tie her to the killing on June 2, 2018, when her husband was found with two bullet wounds in his back and chest at the culinary institute where he had worked since 2006.
“All of us were affected that day,” said Clarenda Perez, who was at the culinary institute the day of the murder. “To hear [Crampton Brophy] say that we went on with our lives and nothing happened, that we weren’t affected, is a true statement in reflection of what a cold-blooded murderer she is.”
Brophy’s body was found by his students. Authorities responded but the murder of the beloved instructor remained a mystery for several months. There were no signs of a struggle or a robbery and the chef had no known enemies. That is, until they began digging into Brophy’s wife’s online activity.
Detectives eventually discovered a half-dozen life insurance policies Crampton-Brophy stood to collect upon her husband’s untimely death, a figure boosted by several hundred thousand dollars if he died on the job. For a murder weapon, there was the slide and barrel pistol purchased on eBay by Crampton Brophy, which matched the 9mm handgun she told police she and her husband jointly bought at a Portland gun show but never used.
Crampton Brophy’s tongue-in-cheek essay about murdering a spouse, published in 2011, was excluded from the trial by Ramras to avoid “unfair prejudice” and because it was written so long ago.
Still, its contents earned national attention. Within it, Crampton Brophy wrote: “I spend a lot of time thinking about murder and, consequently, about police procedure. After all, if the murder is supposed to set me free, I certainly don’t want to spend any time in jail. And let me say clearly for the record, I don’t like jumpsuits and orange isn’t my color.”
Despite her wishes to avoid the pen and the jumpsuit, Judge Ramras issued Crampton Brophy the maximum sentence under Oregon law, with an option for parole after 25 years.
“I hope that this will at least bring some level of closure to you,” Ramras said Monday to the Brophy family who attended.